Just be sure to replace it frequently - like every six months or so - or it
can become a soppy, root-killing mess.

What's really cool is that if you water it with pure RO, and keep it warm
and bright, spores will germinate and you'll have live moss to play with.
If only there was a way to have live moss and still feed your plants. Live
moss stays naturally airy, so won't every get soppy.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Artwork, Books and Lots of Free Info!


"kenty" wrote in message
...
You dont need to take much off the bale ,it goes a long way.It is
surprising how much it expands.I love the stuff i wont use anything else
now.More importantly the plants like it too!
Cheers Keith
"Ray" wrote in message
...
I too, have just received in a shipment of 5-star Chilean sphagnum for my
own use and for resale, and it is far more compressed than I have EVER
seen in the past. A 5 kg bale is about 11" x 12" x 13". I pried off a 1
kg slab, sprayed it with hot water, and ended up with about three or more
cubic feet of the cleanest, fluffiest stuff I've seen in years.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Artwork, Books and Lots of Free Info!


"V_coerulea" wrote in message
.. .
Yes, Keith. That's what I'm talking about. My 10 Kg bale was about
18"X18"X24"; bone dry, compressed; great stuff! I've seen, and
occassionally purchased, bales of much lower quality for lining baskets.
It was darker colored, more fragmented, and had a lot of sticks and
other junk in it. This stuff is manna from heaven. It's so evenly
layered, I can peel off a 3/8" (1cm) layer to line a basket with dry.
It's so much easier to do that way than when the moss is already wet.
Fill the basket, water, then plant when the moss is expanded.
Gary

"kenty" wrote in message
...

"V_coerulea" wrote in message
. ..
I just received a bale of Chilean sphagnum and I'm extremely pleased
with it, including the price. It's top quality, blond (light colored)
moss and it cost just $72 for a 10Kg bale. Shipping was only $7 from FL
to me in SC. I use it mostly in clay pots with oncidium intergenerics,
cool-growing miltonias and masdavilleas. It's the only way I've managed
to successfully keep some of these doing well in our summer heat. It's
also, of course, a great basket liner. I've been paying $20+/Kg for
individual packages from well-known orchid suppliers. I don't know the
price of their 1Kg package (or their larger bales), but if you're
growing some of your orchids in moss you owe it to yourself to check
out this place. Drop me a note and I'll be glad to forward the email
address, web site, and contact info for the FL supplier.
Gary
Gary,Have you ever tried the dried bales of sphag moss.You soak what
you want in water it expands & fluffs up ready to use.It is excellent
stuff!
Cheers Keith